SMYRNA, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt bowling team, ranked third in the NCAA, is holding steady at No. 2 in the Music City Classic team standings after two days of competition at the Smyrna Bowling Center.
“We started the day off well with a big win versus Jacksonville, finishing the match in the 10th frame,” head coach John Williamson said. “I felt that we sort of didn’t handle the one-pin loss to Youngstown very well. We carried that with us for a couple rounds. We need to figure out how not let one loss become two, and in this case three. I really liked the energy and the execution to the end the day. Highs to start and end the day, but the middle was a little disappointing”
Facing four of the NCAA’s top 10 teams Saturday, Vandy compiled a 2-3 record and totaled 5,103 pins, bringing the Commodores’ two-day total to 10,295 pins. The Dores sit just 22 pins behind top-seeded Youngstown State. No. 10 Maryville and No. 2 Jacksonville State are ranked third and fourth, respectively.
Two Vanderbilt bowlers are top 10 in the individual standings after five games. Victoria Varano is in fourth place with a 214.0 game average. She bowled games of 247, 183, 235, 210 and 195. Isabel Allen ranks ninth individually with scores of 237, 228, 199, 200 and 186. She averaged 210.0 pins per game.
The Commodores started their day with a 1,083-1,041 win over Jacksonville State. Allen, Saphyre Nofuente, Varano, Kaylee Hitt and Sydney Bohn were starters for Vandy. Kailee Channell entered the lineup midway through the match for Nofuente.
Vanderbilt then fell by a single pin to Youngstown State in Round 2. The final score was 997-996, Penguins. Allen and Bohn led the way for the Dores with respective scores of 228 and 214.
The Commodores dropped a 1,053-1,010 game versus No. 9 Stephen F. Austin and a 1,080-970 match to fifth-ranked Wichita State in Rounds 3 and 4. Haley Lindley was subbed in and bowled a 211 game versus the Ladyjacks. Channell also contributed a score of 204 in the match. Paige Peters entered the lineup for Bohn versus the Shockers.
Vandy came back in Round 5 to defeat Oklahoma Christian 1,044-886 to end the day. Alyssa Ballard and Nofuente came off the bench and contributed scores of 236 and 225, respectively.
“It’s a field with strong opponents and rotation, so we are preparing for the postseason,” Williamson said. “This is the way it will be the rest of the year.”
The final day of the Music City Classic begins Sunday at 8:25 a.m. Teams will play one more traditional match to determine seeding for the best-of-seven Baker bracket.
All of Vanderbilt’s matches will be streamed on YouTube. Additionally, BowlTV will be streaming the event on eight of the 16 pairs. Fans can watch for free on either platform. Fans can also follow Vanderbilt bowling on X at @VandyBowling for updates.
